I want to get a certification. That’s it!
Well, a large number of people want to enroll for CPR classes only for the sake of a certification. Most hospitals and healthcare organizations require their employees to have basic knowledge regarding First-Aid, CPR and AED. A person looking for a certification to just get employment in such organizations, has endless options of classes to choose from.
A simple “CPR class” search on Google will fetch a long list of agencies and a variety of training classes for enrollment. However an overwhelming majority of these online agencies have absolutely no standards in granting a certification. They are there to just make money. These agencies may provide a handbook on CPR and conduct an online test before granting a certification. As a matter of fact, a large number of them just hand over a certification for simply registering for the course and paying the fees.
Nonetheless, whether the employing organization will accept the certification from a particular online agency or not is completely at their discretion. Therefore, it is better to know which certifications they accept beforehand, if possible.
I want to learn to administer CPR
It is impossible to learn CPR without some actual practice in the presence of an instructor. The actual practice is done on a mannequin in a CPR class. Only some agencies go to the lengths of providing a mannequin and an experienced instructor to train the students. When I say experienced instructor, he should be someone who has had hands-on experience of administering a CPR. Having someone who has worked as a paramedic or a nurse is the best bet. Likewise, the classes which require their students to demonstrate competence in CPR administration, for awarding a certification are trustworthy.
Various hospitals and EMS providers conduct weekend CPR classes, which are, more often than not, quite good too. But, generally they do not offer certifications for attending their classes.
Remember to ask these questions before enrolling for a CPR class.
- Is hands-on training available?
- Is there a mannequin available on which you can perform chest compressions? Will each student get one to practice?
- Is the instructor experienced?
- What was the nature of his previous job? Did he have the opportunity to perform CPR?
- How rigorous is the training?
- Are there any tests for awarding the certification at the end of the training?
I want to learn as well as get a CPR certification
The certifications awarded by various CPR classes are not valid universally. Whether a certification is considered valid is purely at the discretion of the person and/or the organization asking for it. Overall, there are only 2 organizations whose certifications are widely, if not universally, accepted. They are American Heart Association and American Red Cross. These organizations are known for their excellent training programs. On the other hand, depending on your location, they may not have year-round classes. It is therefore recommended to check for their class schedules in advance.
]]>CPR training is invaluable for preserving life when catastrophe strikes. It is also finding its way into sporting events. In recent news, various athletes have required CPR. Sometimes it’s an unknown heart condition that leads to a collapse or sometimes it’s pure exhaustion. Whatever the case, bystanders that have CPR training can save the life of an athlete that suffers cardiac arrest. The following news items reflect recent incidents where CPR was performed on the court or field.
Young Wrestler Saved by CPR
Recently a 15-year-old wrestler was the subject of an astounding news story. The teen was dead was seven minutes yet his school principal has just completed CPR training six days before and was able to administer the life-saving techniques until emergency services arrived. The youth had an undetected hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that led to his cardiac arrest; the condition plagues various young athletes though it can be detected through an EKG. The boy’s school did not require the test and the boy was allowed to wrestle. Today he is alive thanks to the timely intervention of his school principal who is certainly gratified that he completed his training!
AEDs and Schools
A young Idaho football player owes his survival to an AED that was placed at his high school. Having collapsed on the field, the boy received CPR from two coaches while a third ran for help and to retrieve the school’s AED. The coaches delivering the CPR are convinced that the boy might never have revived it was not for the AED. They now advocate for these devices which they believe should be placed in all schools as well as other public places.
Teen Girl Saved on Basketball Court
A teen softball player decided to play some basketball for a change at the school gym when she collapsed on the court. The coach ran to her side and knowing CPR, he was able to deliver a couple rounds before others could bring the AED to him. Because she had no pulse, the coach knew to deliver one shock to the girl. He was able to keep her alive until emergency help arrived. Her case was another instance where both CPR and the AED were essential for saving her life that day.
Athletes Do CPR Too!
This past fall a college student athlete was able to help administer CPR before her game. On game days this young woman liked to go to the local coffee shop for a little jolt of caffeine. Upon arriving, she saw a commotion at the entrance where a man had collapsed. Knowing CPR, she was able to help revive him by performing chest compressions until emergency services arrived. In her case, a coffee habit and CPR saved a human life!
Athletics is fun for kids and they can hardly wait to hit the court, track, or their associated venue in order to play their hearts out! Sometimes, their hearts carry an undetected abnormality that stops them in their tracks. Luckily athletic departments now understand the essential need to train in CPR and to keep AEDs on hand. These people were lucky to survive their ordeals and they did because bystanders trained in CPR and were on the scene to help!
]]>This training was used and perfected in hospital settings for many years after the publication of this book. It first became available for training the public in the 1970s. As training classes for the public became more available, the team collaborated with a Norwegian toy company to manufacture the first training model, named Resusci Annie, to enable instructors to offer actual hands-on training.
Today we still use the ABC from that original book to assess a victim: Airway, Breathing and Circulation, but the techniques have undergone slight changes through the years. Though the original technique of tilting the victim’s head, breathing into their open mouth and applying closed chest compressions remains basically intact, many of the finer points of the technique have changed over time. As CPR is used in the field, we are able to gather more and more information about what works and what we can improve upon. For instance, the manner in which we accomplish the head tilt has been changed over the years after it was discovered that the first technique could cause damage to the neck. Also changed over the years is the way we combine the numbers of chest compressions and breaths. There used to be different techniques for a one-man rescue vs. a two-man rescue. A two-man rescue is no longer recommended. We also now have the availability ofCPR and AED (automated external defibrillators) devices in many public places.
As we continue to perfect these life-saving techniques, more people are getting a second chance at life. No doubt medical science will continue to make changes as we gather more information. That’s why it’s so important that you update your CPR skills on a regular basis. We make it easy for you. We come to your facility and tailor a program to fit the needs of your business or organization.
Contact us for more information and to schedule a CPR class custom designed for you.
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Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillators (AED) double, and in some cases triple, a victim’s chances of survival if administered quickly after a cardiac episode. While many people are aware of the CPR principles, few are trained in current methods and even fewer are familiar with AED concepts. The American Heart Association estimates that over half of Americans have never actually seen an AED.
Oceanside CPR, an American Heart Association training site and American Health and Safety Training center, offers current CPR AEDcertification for those with little or no medical background and those seeking to renew certifications. The class topics include alleviating choking and CPR AED techniques for adults, children and infants.
Oceanside’s CPR AED classes incorporate the proven Practice-While-Watching method of learning, allowing students to perform tasks and solve problems as instructors look on and provide feedback. Upon completion of the course, students receive their CPR AED certification card, which remains valid for two years.
While CPR is an effective life-saver, many cardiac incidents involve an arrhythmia that can only be addressed with both CPR and AED methods. Almost a quarter of cardiac arrest victims suffer from these events and can be stabilized with an AED.
Contact us to review the list of class dates, times and locations in and around New Jersey, and help reduce the number of deaths from sudden cardiac arrest.
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According to the American Red Cross’ manual, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer, for each minute that someone in cardiac arrest is not treated with defibrillation (as in, with an AED device), his survival decreases by 7 percent per minute within the first 3 minutes and by 10 percent after the 3 minute mark. An estimate based on American Heart Association (AHA) statistics say that up to 60 percent of SCA fatalities could have been saved had there been timely AED intervention.
A condition which may lead to SCA is ventricular fibrillation. Here the ventricles, or the heart’s lower chambers, quiver irregularly and rapidly. Another condition is ventricular tachycardia. In this instance, the ventricles beat regularly but for a few or more seconds at a very fast rate. Both conditions, or arrhythmia, can cause the heart to stop pumping blood suddenly and unexpectedly. Once the heart stops beating, circulation ceases, in turn depriving the brain and other vital organs of supply of oxygenated blood. Fortunately, in cases of SCA resulting from either ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, defibrillation through use of electrical shock from the AED device can temporarily halt the irregular, erratic beating of the heart, thereby allowing the pacemaking cells enough time to re-establish normal heart rhythm.
How is the AED used? Once turned on, voice and screen prompts will direct the operator to connect the electrode pads to the victim’s chest. Through the electrode pads, the AED’s built-in computer can examine the electrical impulses from the heart, analyze the rhythm, and calculate whether defibrillation is needed. Should defibrillation be warranted, the voice and screen prompt will advise the operator accordingly. At the same time, the device will charge the internal capacitor that will deliver the electric shock with power from the battery. Once charged, the AED’s voice and screen prompts will instruct the operator to press the “shock” button. The electric shock is delivered to the patient’s chest through the electrode pads. After the delivery, the device will re-analyze the patient’s condition and advice the operator on whether another shock should be administered. The electrode pads should be left attached to the victim’s chest to allow the AED to continue monitoring the condition of the heart until professional help finally takes over.
The AED is safe to use by anyone with just minimal training. It is designed to be generally “idiot-proof.” It will not deliver a shock if the readings show that defibrillation is not needed. In most of the states in the US, there are Good Samaritan laws that can protect an untrained lay rescuer who uses an AED on a cardiac arrest victim should something untoward happen to the victim.
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It’s a statistical fact that over 383,000 sudden cardiac arrests happen each year. However the most alarming statistic is that out of that number a full 80%+ happen while at home. So learning the BLS training means you will likely use what you learn to save a member within your household. What better motivation could exists than learning the few skills necessary to save the life of someone so close to you, and most likely within your family?
The American Heart Association also released a statistic that confirms that over 70% of American adults report a feeling of helplessness when witnessing a cardiac event; the reason being that they do not know how to do CPR or that the training they once had was a long time ago. This makes individuals doubt their ability and fear doing something wrong, causing them to not act, or acting after a significant delay, and with cardiac events seconds count. The reason that this hits so close to home is that over 88% of cardiac events occur when the individual is at home. To put these figures into perspective, if 100 people have heart attacks, only 12 of them will have a cardiac event somewhere other than their home. Is it worth risking the chance that someone you love will be one of the 12?
Perhaps what most people don’t realize is that of those 400k annual cardiac events that occur outside the hospital, only an 8% chance of survival exists. Equally alarming is that if a cardiac event occurs out in public or in the workplace, only 32% of people will receive CPR from a bystander, despite the fact that BLS doubles or triples that individuals chance of survival. This just further proves that by learning BLS skills you not only have the best chance of saving someone you love, but you are in a position to help save the life of someone else.
Oceanside CPR provides onsite BLS education training, so they will gladly come to your club, work or group in order to train those you associate with at your location. What better investment could a business owner make than to have their workers best protect those they love and those they work with by learning BLS training?
BLS skills include emergency cardiovascular care, or ECC which imparts this vital skill that gives hope of life to those one comes into contact with. Each and every day new treatments are used to improve the chances of survival of those who suffer from strokes, cardiovascular emergencies and cardiac arrest. It is with the skills that you will learn from professional and experienced Oceanside CPR trainers that will impart this lifesaving information to you in a format that is both hands on and easy to understand. Oceanside CPR prides themselves on offering a comprehensive BLS course that serves health care workers, all types of caregivers and the general public.
Calling on Oceanside CPR to arrange a BLS education training session is easy, and it will likely save the life of someone you love. With 4 out of 5 cardiac events happening at home there is no greater motivation than saving the life of someone you love.
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We come to your home, office, or business with as few as 2 people!!!
So if you need a class call us!!
This week we have a first aid class on Wednesday April 9 in Toms River and an Adult/Child/Infant CPR AED and choking class on Thursday April 10 in Thompson Park.
